Almost Lost But Not Quite Found
by Yuki no on'na no musume
Summary: Eiko is an every day girl until one event changes her life. Can she find her light? Or will she be forever lost in darkness? I swear, It's better than it sounds! Rating may change. Genre may change. Toshi x OC
1. Chapter 1: The Begining

I awoke with a pain in my head and backside, and Mom yelling, asking me if I was okay. I took a second to gather my wit before I replied, "Yeah Mom, I'm okay. I think I fell off my bed again." I heard a chuckle and got up looking at my clock. Four thirty-seven? Mom's never up this early!

I heard the door open and turned to see my mom standing in the threshold. She had short brown hair that fell just above her shoulders, framing her face and bringing out her blue eyes that I could see over royal blue reading glasses that told me she was most likely studying or on her computer in her office across the hall when she walked in. I dully noticed that she was wearing jeans and a red-orange quarter length sleeved t-shirt with a black flor-de-lis surrounded by rhinestone on the border and swirls working its way out from it.

"Sweetheart, there's a person requesting I train a dog but, is only available in the early mornings. So you won't be seeing me unless you start getting up earlier , okay?" she said in a tired voice, obviously having not had any form of caffeine yet.

I nodded and asked, "Okay, pet or service?"

Mom was a dog trainer. She could train for people that wanted everyday house pets or for active, working service dogs and is even certified to give the test to make the dog an official service dog. She started her own school after she graduated. She set the time for the classes after four o'clock so I often helped with the basic training. Many people come to the class with V.A. certification for a service dog but there are still a lot of people who come for the basic training class.

Mom took a piece of paper out of her pocket and looked at it before saying, "He wants a pet, but he wants it trained as far as it can go with out it being a service. So in other words, yes, you can help."

I sat down on my bed and said "Never said I wanted to. I was just curious."

Mom got that look that always means trouble for me before saying "You would probably want to help on this one. His secondary is his son and I will say he's pretty cute."

I tried not to roll my eyes at the fact we've had the same discussion so many times it's not even funny anymore while I said, "Mom, it's not gonna happen. Trust me when I say this; I'm happy as a forever alone anime nerd with a fascination for short white-haired Soul Reapers! Give up! I'm not dating anyone! Love is pointless and it only gets everyone involved hurt!"

"Yeah, I know it's hard to forget your views on love., So, that's why I know that even if I told you the guy was cute and looked a lot like that short, white-haired guy your _obsessed_ with whose name starts with T." She said smugly, sure she had and, won and continued, "Shame, because from what I remember he even has the voice you love so much and he has a slight accent. And on top of that his dad mentioned him coming to a local school and with your luck it might be yours. And even more he's short like you."

Okay, I know she's trying to win now! That's why she pulled the short card. No one pulls that unless they are trying to piss me off. And unfortunately, every time, it always works.

"Who the hell you calling a midget? I'm not short, damn it!" I yelled. I realized Ed, my step-father, might still be asleep so I lowered my voice and said, "Besides, I highly doubt he's that much like him. Remember, you told me the sexy white-haired swordsman that sneaks in my room and makes sexy burning cold love to me every night doesn't exist."

Mom rolled her eyes and stated, "Yes and consider yourself and the white-haired swordsman lucky that is the case or else there would be a dead boy and a severely injured girl!" She took a breath to calm herself and her mouth tipped upwards into a grin and she said,, "But you're right. Your just vertically challenged. So will you help or not? I need to know now."

I glared at my mother and said with a snort "Excuse me for not being six-foot-five like Elar. But yeah, I will. Am I doing weekends only? Or are you willing to take me out of school this time?"

"Ha, nice try. Oh by the way, since you're up, get moving . It's Friday so you still have school today." I groaned in protest and Mom rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. Hiss, hiss, gr. Now come on. And don't fall asleep again!"

Mom left and I cursed under my breath remembering that Finals were coming up and the schedule for the test time and days are actually coming out today.

I got up and got dressed in a pair of boot cut jeans, and my favorite wolf shirt and topped that with a braided leather belt that went around my waist over the shirt to keep it from being in the way and too baggy. Before I left the dark sanctuary of my room, I took a bite of the Amound Bark I kept hidden in the bottom drawer of my dresser under all my sweatshirts and jackets. After hiding it again I dug my combat boots from the bottom of my closet then went out into the kitchen.

My name is Eiko Mitsune, and I'm just a regular teenage girl that's avoiding boys, all things Justin Bieber or One Direction related, coment by smart-ass on how unladylike or masculine I am, sunlight, sports, and my father's phone calls. But guess I can tell you about myself. People constantly tell me that I need to talk to someone other than my wall, so I'm gonna tell you. A total stranger that don't trust at all. You should feel honored, but warning it's really boring so be warned.

My parents divorced when I was little, six maybe I know it was after Katrina hit home. When the divorce was finalized Mom, Elar, and I moved to Cleveland, Ohio and Dad got stationed in Maryland at Andrew's Air-force Base. After living with my grandmother we moved into a house that had everything we need in walking distance so all of us would often go on walks to a nearby restraunt or the baseball stadium or just walk for a while. We started going to a middle school called Royal-view and I thought it was amazing that the symbol was the Roadruner, my favorite looneytoon then. I attended with little-to-no friends, I remember three, so little-to-none, and my classes were for the most part all guys. My brother, I'm sure, had a million friends like always, with him being the social butterfly and all.

After a while we moved to south central Missouri. After about a month Elar moved with Dad and that didn't last very long. He wanted to come back and so Mom let him come and then everything went to hell. He started getting mixed up in what people would call the "wrong crowd" and started smoking, drinking, sneaking out, and staying out late. He was considered by outsiders the "bad child" and told almost everyday "Straighten up! You want to join the military so bad? Straighten up, because they won't accept people with a criminal record." After that he ended up with probation for drinking under age and the lies of some drunk skank. Then Dad once again got re-stationed, this time in Tampa, Florida, after his second tour overseas to Afghanistan to "serve our country and end the war". Elar has stayed there ever since.

Now on my mother's side, after we moved to Missouri Mom started going to e-collage to get a degree in dog-training and going to classes for a General Studies degree and a business degree. About two years after mom started classes, she met Ed and they started dating and on October 1, 2011 Mom and Ed had a Salt Covenant and little after is when Ellar moved in with Dad, who just moved to Tampa. Ed and I didn't get along well until recently. Now we get along well enough except for the occasional disagreement and fight.

I know, I know. Who cares about the biography of some random girl, right? Well, I do! Consider it a privilege to know all that. I don't talk about my personal life to anyone.

I put my homework into my school bag, which was bassicly a gray computer bag that we bought at the college store, and put my personal stories and mini-computer into my other bag, making sure the computer was well hidden in-between the notebooks of fanfictions and original stories that I will never publish.

Satisfied that it was unseen, I went into the kitchen and grabbed a green, granny smith apple, and a coffee mug and tea bag of Irish breakfast tea. I filled the mug to the line that has stained the cup from use and put the tea bag in then set it in the microwave for one minute to heat and seep.

While that was going I walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Taking a bite of my apple, I dreamed of what it would be like to actually meet the real live Toshiro. Could we be friends or maybe if I'm lucky something more? Probably no. He would most likely think I was annoying and disrespectful with how I treat most people. Oh well, that's why I dream and write. To escape this world and move to mine. Isn't that why everyone writes?

I was brought out of my thoughts by a door closing followed by a persistent beeping from the microwave. I pulled out my tea and added a good amount of dry vanilla cream and sugar, casting the oven clock a glance as I stirred and tasted.

With a heavy sigh I transferred my tea into a red travel mug and grabbed my bag and stepped through the door into the chilly autumn air.

I breathed in deeply allowing myself to enjoy the scents, sights, and sounds of one of my favorite seasons. I walked across the street, sitting down and pulling out my book to pass the time as I wait for the bus to come and get me to take me to the prison they call school.

...

My classes dragged on, slow but still somehow fast. Ignoring my seventh hour teacher and classmates conversations growth as the hour came to a close, I put away my mini-laptop and checked my phone gathering my bags into an easier reaching point for the bell to ring.

When it sounded, I jumped up and all but ran out of the door ignoring the calling of my name from friends as I passed and went to my privilege time, sneaking passed the card check and into the Triangle.

The Triangle is an outside area in the middle of the school. It's a small field with about four picnic tables scattered throughout the area. I don't even understand why it's called "the Triangle". It's not shaped like a triangle It's more like a deformed parallelogram. No one else seems curious so I just keep my mouth shut.

I went to my usual spot on the wall, separated from everyone else because of the fact no one comes here for some reason, and pulled out my book.

I felt eyes on me which over today I've gotten used to it. Well I had too, since my friend Akari painted the tip of my nose white and I never washed it off.

Looking up, my eyes swept over the field trying to find who was looking at me. Once I saw that there was no one there I sighed and looked at the sky. Or at least I was until I noticed two beings on the roof. One a monster-like creature with a mask like face and a large, black body. The other was a boy with snow-white hair and a black kimono like outfit and a white haori over-coat with the symbol of Squad Ten on the back.

I scrambled to stand and get a better look, but I just fell and landed on the grass. By the time I got to my feet he and the monster were gone. It was like they were never there

Am I going crazy? Yeah, probably already there. No more mid-night Bleach marathons. For awhile at least.

"What was with that?" my friend Kylie asked, making me jump at the sudden noise and her silent appearance.

I looked at her glaring and said with a sigh, "Nothing. Just loosing my mind."

"More than you already have? Didn't think that was possible," she said with a laugh, earning a playful punch in the arm for me, then continued in a serious tone, "So, what was it? What did you see? Was it another one of those things we've seen a lot of lately?"

Nodding I looked up towards the sky right above the roof where I saw them. The clouds rippled and another monster appeared from them, this one looking a little like one of the hollows from Bleach when I looked closely at it.

I looked at Kylie, seeing if she saw it too, and judging by the look on her face she did. She shot me a look that said all I needed to know before she took off running with me following close behind.

We ran right past the teachers that were supervising us, to the parking lot, and off school grounds. We didn't stop running until we passed through a field that was little away from the school, and ran into the cover of the small forest on the other side.

I heard a roar and the smashing and cracking of trees, making me startle into standing once again. I felt my bags, which I didn't know I grabbed, hit my side and heard the ping of metal hitting the metal of the strip of iron I keep for when I need to pick a lock or two.

As the noise got louder I reached into my bag trying to find the other metal object. Ignoring Kylie's persistent yelling, I pulled out a katana, that should never be able to fit in my small bag.

The katana had a crimson hilt, with a golden guard that was shaped in a way similar to that of a maple leaf, and was engraved with, what looked like, leaves blowing in wind, which was depicted with thin swirling lines and leaf-like shapes.

The hallow could be seen through the trees still trying to reach us when Kylie turned and yelled something at me then gasped when she saw the blade in my hand. I couldn't understand her yelling and I was only faintly aware of it anyway. I was too entranced by the beautiful blade that had appeared from my bag.

It felt perfect, like it was made just for me and appeared just for me to wield it. Like I should never let go, and always keep it with me. Like part of my soul has finally been returned after a life of waiting. This sword, I can feel it now, is part of me. The part I've been waiting for and at long last has returned to me to make me complete.

A grin spread across my face and my heart rate jumped. My stomach churned in excitement and the earth held her breath, waiting for action. Waiting for blood. The only noise was my blood rushing in my ears and the snapping of the last trees keeping the hollow away from us.

And with that, I faded to a world of darkness, dance and blood.


	2. Brand New Me: Who am I?

It's been six months since that day. The day I found my sword and destroyed the monster. The day I became lost in thick darkness and found myself over my best friend, sword raised, ready to kill. I can't even trust myself anymore. God, how could I let this happen? I'm sure Kylie, my best-friend who is practically my sister, is even afraid of me now! What do I do?

My stomach flops every time I think of the look on her face . A mixed look of shock, confusion, an unspoken dare to strike. But hidden beneath all of that was fear. Fear that I should have never seen on my strongest and most outgoing friend. It was horrible. This look haunts me now. Only after six months I see it in my dreams, no, my nightmares! I see her shadowed face, eyes wide with fear that quickly turn to narrowed slits holding the dare and anger that I know is there now. Why is it that I'm so bothered by this?

People say that once you lose sight of who you are, you can and will lose everything. But, people also say that once you've found yourself, your true soul, it's a day to celebrate. I guess everything has been gained then lost, all in one same moment.

I'm losing the sight of a normal life, a normal mental setting. But as I lost sight of my old self, a new being emerged from within. A person that loves to be bathed in the blood of enemies and longs to get lost in chaos of battle and the dance of blades. Someone whose sick fascination is the bright, warm liquid that is fresh blood.

I wonder if that's such a horrible person to be. I know I'm a long way past crazy. But this feeling I get around people it excites, but yet at the same time, terrifies me. This feeling, the feeling of the possibility that I could lose myself and kill someone, it's amazing! I love it, but I know I shouldn't. That small voice of whom I used to be tells me this. Tells me it's bad. That I shouldn't feel like that, I need to speak up.

"Tell someone," it's been screaming in my ear. "Tell someone before you hurt them! They were once your friends! And they still are! Speak up!" Why should I?

It's easy to ignore. It may scream and yell in my ear but that only delights my dark soul more. It make me need to fight. Makes me want need to kill again. If only to quiet my inner beast for a short time.

When I asked Kylie what happened that day, she said that it looked like I was possessed by a demon. She said it was amazing, the way I moved like it was just the fight, nothing else. She described the way I moved as inhumane, though I didn't miss the slight hint of fear in her dark brown eyes. It was as if I have fought for years and been trained by a master in swordsmanship, she had said.

She recollected, with a another streak of fear, everything I did, and when she got towards the end of the fight she got quiet. She said that I stood over the beast as it disintegrated, and when she called to ask if I was okay I turned on her and attacked without reason or hesitation. Why don't I remember this? What else am I missing? What other gaps are there?

What the hell is happening to me? Wait, I do know what's happening. I'm becoming a better, stronger, faster person! One that's gone crazy, but still better! And I love ever second of it.

The thrill makes my blood rush and brings a wicked grin to my face. A grin that bleeds madness into the surrounding air. A madness that stays hidden in most people's hearts, from the fear of being judged and neglected by our fellow human beings. It stays hidden behind a smile and the passers-by remain blissfully ignorant and deny it through out their pathetic.

That is, until someone slips and lets it show.

When this happens there are two results. One, you immediately get taken away into medical care to hide this side again, using pills and therapy that makes you think you're bad and needing fixed. Or two, you take care of the problem that has that hidden darkness eating you from the inside-out. You kill, rape, do drugs, and sometimes even destroy yourself. People do all of this just to either settle the beast within or to feed it and let it grow.

I wonder which I am. I wonder how my soul handles the beast when I'm not looking. God, what am I missing?


	3. New Student: Do I Know You?

**Hey, I know I probably messed up alot last chapter and I know I forgot to put down what Eiko looks like. Please forgive I'll probably get it next chapter. So yeah, gomen. And thank you to a very special person named IzumiGuardian for helping me get this story up! All that is reading this should check out her stories shes amazing!**

My day was mostly quiet and consisted of, the now normal, ignoring everyone and blending in the crowd. These skills came easily to me now, almost as if I was in a life or death situation that I've trained for and lived all my life.

Making it to my first class with out too much trouble, I sat in the back of the class. The teacher called roll and said something to a student hiding by the door. I scoffed and pulled out my book and started reading, waiting for her to just start the lecture on our next project.

Ms. Ritcher waited until after the morning announcements, that always started in the middle of a lecture, upsetting her every time, before making an unexpected announcement of her own.

"Class, this is Toshiro Hitsugaya. I want every one of you to treat him like he was any other student, alright? Make sure that you don't treat him like an outsider." She said in a loud enough voice to cut through the chatter.

It's funny, she says that like standing him in front of the class and introducing him isn't doing just that. I know the feeling of being the freak and the new kid. Being a navy brat, and moving around so much, I know that feeling very well. How stupid of her. She's nothing but a fool.

She waved her hand, waving in a boy with pale skin, silver-white hair, and outstanding teal eyes. His face was pulled down into a glare and his clothing consisted of an expensive navy blue Hollister t-shirt and medium-blue jeans. He was obviously a new kid, but the way he walked and scanned the crowd showed he was confident as if he's attended for years and knew everything to know.

Including his cool exterior, everything about him screamed "rich snob" but for some reason, something about him also seemed familiar and what one could describe as something close to endearment. Though I couldn't figure out why or how I even felt I knew him, it made no difference to my conclusion. There is nothing pleasant about him at all! I ignored it and the suddenly hyper voice in my head trying to talk me into going up and introducing myself immediately and went back to my book ignoring the teacher as she pointed Toshiro to a seat and started the lecture about our next project.

There was a shifting beside me, and even though I tried to ignore it, I noticed there was a great, choking power that rolled off whoever sat next to me in waves until I choked out a cough and dropped my book. After that, it drew back.

I felt eyes on me. A gaze that felt like, it uncovered my biggest secret without any effort at all. The feeling making me feel naked and defenseless.

Feeling my hand twitch, I looked to make sure my sword hadn't appeared, as I discovered it did at the spasm of muscle. An annoying talent if you ask me.

Seeing it didn't I looked at the seat next to mine and saw the new kid staring at me with a brow raised in question.

"What? You have a problem?" I growled at him, my eyes showing a silent threat.

This only made the corner of his mouth tip upwards in an amused smile. The kind of smile that you need to really look for to see, so no one ever sees it. I was so surprised by the smile I almost missed that he replied in a confident, "I heard you were the go-to-girl for a tour of the school."

Brushing off my surprise, I scoffed, "Is that right? Says who? If you say yourself I will destroy you first chance I get!"

He once again raised his brow in what could be taken as a challenge and said, "The teacher, who I notice you pay no attention to, and-"

"Why should I?" I interjected, "She just preaches and changes. Besides, on top of that I pick up enough from others and how she gets on to other students, and on top of that, we've been doing the same thing for three weeks. So I ask again, why should I?"

His brows lowered slightly into a slightly more threatening glare as he said, "Look, I don't know what you're trying to play off, but you can't hide forever. I know what you did, and I can sence you are powerful. I'm not aware of how much you know, but believe me when I say that you need someone to trust, or the darkness in your soul will consume you. Pretending that nothing is wrong and pushing everyone away will only make it worse. Trust me on this. It will consume your soul and what's left will be nothing! A hollow monster that's only thought is killing, and targets those closest to its host first!"

As he said all of this my eyes widened and my heart stopped dead in mid-beat. What exactly does he know about me? I just met him, and he already knows the deepest secret I hold? The one everyone hides. And, what's with the monster bull shit? That has to be fake, right? Yeah, he's exaggerating! No way that will happen! I can't trust him! What does he really want?

He could just want to help you. He might be right. He may be able to fix whatever is going on with you. Everything could go back to normal, like how it used to be. You could forget everything that has happened and start over. Besides, you need to trust him you never know what he knows. He could help. Please, let him be able to help.

The voice whispered this in my ear and as much as I wanted to believe and trust it, I can't. I can't trust it or this guy. He's evil and the power was too strong. I can sence his darkness. Even without that fact, there's something off about him and I need to figure out what this is. But how am I going too? Should I play pretend for a little while? If I do, I'll also get the chance to figure out where I feel I know him from. So what can I do that will still keep me safe from the monsters, both on the outside and inside?

"Alright, fine. What do you want?" I asked with a small sigh of defeat.

His lip quirked once again and I almost missed it, before he said simply, "A tour of the school and someone to catch me up on everything going on."

I rolled my eyes and held out my hand saying, "Let me see your schedule." Once he complied, I looked it over and was shocked. He has the same schedule as me! What the hell?

I looked at him, staring into a confused face and smug eyes, then shook my head. "How stupid." I thought to myself, "This was definitely set up. Or requested, or something. Jeez, I knew it. He is one of the riches."

I can't believe it. Why would it be set to match mine? What's wrong with me? Have I done something to cause this? There isn't something obvious about me that it would cause this. I don't think there is. I'm sure I hid the bit of info that would be big pretty well. So why?

As if he read my mind he said in a low and cold voice "I told you. I know what you did. You can't hide it from me."

My head started to spin, and my excitement rose to breaking point. Before it got the better of me in the middle of school, I pushed it away and focused on the book that had flipped closed on the table.

My head stayed bowed, and my mouth stayed close. I stayed that way until the roaring in my ears lessened and my heart rate slowed to a normal pace, before I looked at Toshiro again.

Once I did, he was scanning the room once again until he looked back at me.

"Why are you really here for? What do you know that I don't?" I asked, fed up with the secretive bull shit.

"I know a lot that you don't; and, I want what every other good student wants, to learn." ,his face was serious but his eyes amused and cocky.

God, I want to kill him! I wonder what it would be like to feel his blood between my fingers. The thought drives me wild with curiosity and a familiar lust for blood.

I can't wait to feel the real thing. It will happen soon, I just know it.


End file.
